This invention relates to a cover plate system for making custom natural stone cover plates for electrical outlets, wall switches and other outlets and openings in which it is desired to place a natural stone cover. More particularly, this invention relates to such a system and method for providing such cover plates matching the natural stone(s), even the exact “lot” of such stones, used, e.g., as tiles for floors, countertops, etc., provided in a customer's residence or business location. The cover plates may be made from quarried stone, cultured stone, and natural rock materials such as terrazzo, marble, and granite and other stone-like brittle materials (the above materials all are herein referred to only as natural stone).
Typically, cover plates are standardized, with the size of the plates, outlet and switch openings and location of mounting holes being fixed for the majority of electrical outlets and switches. Cover plates are typically made of plastic, are inexpensive, and come in an extremely limited color selection. Homeowners or other users may desire to utilize expensive custom countertops, wall coverings or flooring made from natural stone. These materials typically cost thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. It is generally undesirable to select a plastic or plain cover plate and have it placed next to the expensive natural stone.
Heretofore, there have been a limited number of options for a more desirable cover plate. Some cover plates are pre-manufactured using wood, ceramic or other materials; however, persons desiring to match the custom natural stone installed in their building have little choice for cover plates. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,542 (further referred only as the '542 patent) provides for an upper substrate bonded to a lower substrate such as an existing standard cover plate. This patent does not provide a method for creating a solid natural stone cover plate using natural stone material supplied by the homeowner, or end user, to match other such material being used in the end user's building. Further the '542 patent does not disclose a method for reducing the thickness of natural stone nor a method of cutting such natural stone to match a standardized cover plate, but simply states that substrates must be cut, placed and adhered.
Natural stone is unique; and even natural stone pulled from the same quarry may vary in color and texture. Even further, natural stone may be very brittle and has a multitude of texture differences which make it a difficult product to manipulate. It is especially pertinent, that, for certain natural stones and stony materials, there will often be certain minimum dimensions required to work with such material without destruction or other breaking; thus, manufacturing techniques may be required beyond those for normal thin cover plates of other materials. Therefore, a need exists to manufacture cover plates from natural stone or other such quarry material made to match the material utilized in a user's rooms. These “tile” materials commonly are supplied in thickness of three-eighths inch to two inches thick; therefore a need exists to provide a method of reducing the thickness of the material to incorporate the cover plate onto the outlet. Further, a need exists to provide such natural stone cover plates which may be installed on any custom or standardized outlet and switch, including screw mounting holes.